MUSICAL MATHEMATICS • Presley
paper collage
This is the most recent collage in the artist’s series of her exploration into the relationship between the aesthetic qualities of mathematics and music in humanity’s multi-dimensional reality, of which she includes love as the core dimension represented by friendship and karaoke in the central image. Presley’s use of color and pattern maintain both the opposing contrasts and harmony of music as an expression of mathematics. She has chosen purple to convey the propitious nature of geometric topological constructs. Her use of golden hues is an homage to both The Golden Mean and Goldbach’s conjecture.
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COGNITIVE INCLINE: A SELF-PORTRAIT • Mary
marker on paper
The artist’s provocative Incline Theory has shaken the pillars of global geriatric care. The theory maintains as you lose your youth, you also lose your hair and your fashion sense. You don’t waste time coloring all the white spaces, or even using your arms. Your buttons are just for show and your work is no longer manual. Rather, your new purpose is the sacred and vibrant task of shedding all your multi-dimensional junk and focusing on the meaning of 42 until you ascend. Once your nose turns blue and you only talk out of the side of your mouth, you are finally done. (Publishers Note: The Incline Theory has not been peer reviewed).
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FINDING TREASURE • Presley
watercolor and marker on paper
This painting, the first in a series of art maps by the artist, has become an instant cultural phenomenon. It blends the iconic style elements of treasure maps with the serenity associated with the actual locale where the very real treasure is buried. The fourth in the series was recently sold at auction by Christie's for $1.8 million dollars due to the alleged value of the alleged treasure. Numerous foreign bidders are lobbying the State Department for permission to bid on this priceless American artifact. If they succeed, the bidding will be out of reach for all but the deepest pockets. The reserve on this exceptional piece is set at $8.76.
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PRESLEY JOHNSON • pencil and marker on paper
I can’t quite put my finger on it. Something about the gorgeous red hair. Something about the way she’s standing. Something about those beautiful brown eyes. And I swear I’ve seen that shirt before. Who is that? It’s driving me crazy.
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PRESLEY JOHNSON • watercolor, pencil, and crayon on paper
You can almost hear the joyful howl and feel the snowflakes catching on your eyelashes. This is the icy blue of the arctic and the soft pink of early snow. The artist captured something unique about the celebration we all find when we speak this special language to the moon.
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PRESLEY JOHNSON • pencil and crayon on construction paper
This work was inspired by the artist’s study of ancient Roman mural painting. This piece is done in the ornate style where paintings are made to create the illusion of looking out of a window. The scene is of a child playing outside near the tire swing on his apple tree. The successful bidder is invited to contact the artist to hear the complete story of this serene scene and may remind you of your own childhood.
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PRESLEY JOHNSON • foil and glue on cardboard
The artist’s piece was inspired by her study of Mayan temple decorations, particularly the decorative columns called “stele.” These ancient works traditionally depict symbols which represent nature, stories of their people, or their gods. This original design was created to draw attention to the asymmetry that underlies our perception of symmetry. The 3-dimensional effect was achieved by outlining the foundational drawing with lines of glue.
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PRESLEY JOHNSON • acrylic on simulated rock
Inspired by her study of Southwest Native American petroglyphs and pictographs, Presley created this dreamscape of the night sky, rich with symbolism. A single tree in the foreground is surrounded by an ominous blackness foreshadowing evil on earth. Yet April’s pink moon and a prominent Saturn say the opposite. In Greek mythology, Saturn’s reign was one of peace and prosperity, and April’s moon signals happiness and rebirth. Astute viewers will also note the sky’s heart, and the earth’s inverted heart. This work was created using hand-drawn stencils and sponge.
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PRESLEY JOHNSON • acrylic on simulated rock face
Since humans first walked the earth, they have experienced and perpetrated violence. Taking her inspiration from the pictographs on the Lascaux caves, Presley tells a gruesome tale of one prehistoric family’s devastating murder of their oldest daughter. The simplicity and palette dramatically emphasize the dreadful outcome of our ferocious nature.
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